A �2.1million programme aimed at helping businesses in the East of England achieve bottom line savings through more efficient use of energy and resources has been launched.

A �2.1million programme aimed at helping businesses in the East of England achieve bottom line savings through more efficient use of energy and resources has been launched.

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) says it wants to encourage “quick wins” for companies through the re-use of materials and checking for water leaks.

The Resource Efficiency East (REE) scheme, which is supported by a �1.5m grant from EEDA and a further �600,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will provide small and medium-sized businesses with free advice on making financial savings through more efficient management of water, energy and materials.

Kate Haigh, senior executive on sustainable development at EEDA said a typical business could save �1,000 a year for every employee by introducing measures such as the re-use of waste materials and regular checking for water leaks.

“Not only does resource efficiency make excellent financial sense, but it also has knock-on environmental benefits, reducing the use of our natural resources and carbon emissions,” she said.

“It is also good for business as customers are placing a greater emphasis on suppliers to reduce their environmental impact and prove their green credentials, as well as offering value for money.”

Specialist advisers from the REE team will work with firms to offer commercially-orientated advice on how to implement appropriate changes, including on-site review to identify areas for resource savings by systematically examining the use of energy, water and materials.

The scheme will be targeting areas such as electricity consumption, power usage, heating and cooling, waste reduction and water conservation and will offer support on implementing the measures.

Simon Chiva, of REE, said that businesses accounted for 18% of the region's CO2 emissions.

“The Resource Efficiency East project can help businesses use resources more effectively and efficiently, driving down costs and improving profitability. By encouraging businesses to reduce resource use and save money, we can also have a positive impact on reducing the region's carbon emissions,” he said.